Backgrounder: National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme
Since 2018, India’s National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme has offered free screening, diagnostics and drugs for hepatitis B and C, a PIB backgrounder said on 27 July 2026, a day before World Hepatitis Day. The 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance found about 0.85 per cent positive for hepatitis B and 0.29 per cent for hepatitis C.
- Released
- 27 Jul 2026, PIB Backgrounder
- Programme
- National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP), launched 2018
- Covers
- hepatitis A, B, C, D and E
- Free services
- diagnostics and drugs for hepatitis B and C
- Prevalence (2021 HSS)
- hepatitis B 0.85% (1 in 118); hepatitis C 0.29% (1 in 345)
- Goal
- combat hepatitis by 2030, in line with the SDGs
The National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme: what happened?
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. Viruses cause most of it, but alcohol, drugs, toxins and autoimmune disease can too. Of the five hepatitis viruses, B and C are the most common long-term threats: they can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. NVHCP fights them by working through existing programmes rather than building a new system.
- NVHCP uses a health systems approach: prevention, promotion and cure.
- Hepatitis A and E, usually acute and outbreak-prone, are tracked by the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme.
- Patient records are paperless, on the NVHCP-MIS portal.
- A toll-free helpline, 1800-11-6666, is shared with the TB programme.
- Services are moving from district hospitals to local health centres.
How does each virus spread, and how is it stopped?
| Virus | Spread | Prevention and treatment |
|---|---|---|
| A | faecal-oral, contaminated food or water | safe water, hygiene, sanitation; usually self-limiting |
| B | mother to child at birth; infected blood and body fluids | vaccine under UIP (birth dose within 24 hours, then 6, 10 and 14 weeks); antivirals for eligible chronic cases |
| C | unsafe injections, shared needles, infected blood | no vaccine; cured in 12 to 24 weeks with Direct-Acting Antivirals |
| D | infected blood; only in some chronic hepatitis B carriers | hepatitis B vaccine also protects against D |
| E | faecal-oral, contaminated food or water | safe water, hygiene, sanitation; usually self-limiting |
Which other programmes help?
| Programme | Role in hepatitis control |
|---|---|
| RMNCAH+N | universal hepatitis B screening of pregnant women |
| Universal Immunisation Programme | hepatitis B birth dose to all newborns; HBIG for babies of positive mothers within 24 hours |
| National AIDS Control Programme | screening of high-risk groups; vaccination of health workers |
| National TB Elimination Programme | its machines used for molecular testing |
| Blood transfusion services | positive donors linked to care |
How does a patient move through NVHCP?
- Screening at a facility or outreach camp
- Test confirmed, often on existing TB machines
- Free drugs: antivirals for B, DAAs for C
- Records kept on the NVHCP-MIS portal
- Follow-up moves closer, to local health centres
Why does the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme matter?
| Angle | What to note |
|---|---|
| Health | B and C cause chronic liver disease and cancer. |
| Equity | Free tests and drugs remove a cost barrier. |
| Efficiency | Uses existing programmes and machines. |
| Mother and child | Birth dose and HBIG stop mother-to-child spread. |
| Global goals | Linked to the SDG target on viral diseases and the 2030 goal. |
What are the challenges in the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme?
- There is no vaccine for hepatitis C; prevention relies on safe injections and needle exchange.
- Prevalence data come from HIV sentinel surveillance, not a general population survey.
- Hepatitis B treatment is only for those eligible under national guidelines.
- Decentralising to local centres needs trained staff and supplies.
What should be done next on the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme?
- Push the hepatitis B birth dose to every newborn within 24 hours.
- Expand screening of high-risk groups and pregnant women.
- Use generic DAAs to treat more hepatitis C patients.
- Strengthen data beyond sentinel surveillance.
What can Prelims ask on the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme?
- NVHCP: launched 2018; covers hepatitis A to E; free drugs and tests for B and C.
- Hepatitis B vaccine: birth dose within 24 hours; 6, 10, 14 weeks (UIP).
- No vaccine for hepatitis C; DAAs cure it in 12 to 24 weeks.
- Hepatitis B vaccine also protects against D.
- A and E: faecal-oral; tracked under IDSP.
How to write about the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme in Mains
Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Viral hepatitis is a silent epidemic. Discuss how India’s National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme uses convergence with other health programmes to tackle it.
- Intro: liver disease burden; B and C.
- NVHCP: 2018, free tests and drugs.
- Convergence: RMNCAH+N, UIP, NACP, NTEP, blood banks.
- Gaps: no C vaccine, data, decentralisation.
- Conclusion: 2030 goal.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-07-27): PIB outlines NVHCP's integrated approach toward the 2030 hepatitis elimination goal, with free drugs and diagnostics.
- Hepatitis B and C cause most liver cancer.
Quotable data pointPIB outlines NVHCP's integrated approach toward the 2030 hepatitis elimination goal, with free drugs and diagnostics.
PIB: PIB Backgrounder: combating hepatitis, 27 Jul 2026
Exam angle
Prelims: hepatitis types and routes.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Which of the following hepatitis infections is also prevented by the hepatitis B vaccine?
Answer (c) & explanation
PIB Backgrounder, 27 Jul 2026.
Consider the following:
1. Hepatitis A and E spread mainly through contaminated food and water.
2. There is a vaccine for hepatitis C under the UIP.
3. NVHCP was launched in 2018.
Which are correct?
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB Backgrounder, 27 Jul 2026: there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
Questions students ask about this
What is the NVHCP?
The National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme, launched in 2018, which offers free screening, diagnostics and drugs for hepatitis B and C and covers all five hepatitis viruses.
Is there a vaccine for hepatitis C?
No. Hepatitis C is prevented through safe injections and harm reduction, and cured in 12 to 24 weeks with Direct-Acting Antivirals.
How common are hepatitis B and C in India?
The 2021 HIV Sentinel Surveillance found about 0.85 per cent positive for hepatitis B and 0.29 per cent for hepatitis C.
Which hepatitis viruses spread through food and water?
Hepatitis A and E, by the faecal-oral route.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB: PIB Backgrounder: combating hepatitis, 27 Jul 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending